ONLY

I wasn't an only child. Just close. Mt brother is 20 years older than I with no siblings in between. So in effect, we were both raised as an only child. Which means we wanted and received attention.

I was reminded of that when I saw the young one pictured standing precipitously close to the bear trap. Actually standing in the trap which hasn't yet closed.

"He's not the only child in the room," our youngest grandson scolded us earlier this Summer. He wanted attention. He wanted it right then. He didn't want us giving that attention to his brother. And he knew how to get it. With three other siblings, it is a necessity.

I don't even like to be reminded of the silly things I did to try to get attention. Not just parental or grandparental (I wonder if that's a word, but then as my sibling says, "Sure it's a word. You said it didn't you?") So I'll just keep to myself my sins of commission. Not that I can't think of them. I'd just rather not.

Ok, one. In the fourth grade just before PE class, I wrote in ink "I love Sally" on my left arm. I showed her. She looked at my arm. Said nothing. Showed no facial expression. No rolling of eyes, no covering of eyes, no turning away. It was so cool. Like, "Yeah, I know. You're not the only one."

Or even worse but probably more accurate, "So what?"

MEXICAN RIVIERA

Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta, amd Matzalan. I'm pretty sure Acapulco is also included, but not on our brief trip.

We took a short cruise on short notice. Price reduction had almost everything to do with it That and the continuing heat in AZ.

Thirty-five hundred other passengers plus crew put our Royal Carib ship at over 5,000. It also solidified RC's Number 1 rating as our favorite cruise line.

So why? So why do we like to cruise? I'll answer that with another question. What's not to like? Even on bad weather days, there's plenty to do on board. There's so much to do, in fact that on the 7-day cruise, I didn't even make it to the climbing wall, golf putting greens, or golf simulator, or exercise room.

Two days of golf, one day on a 72-foot (I wonder why that's not feet?) yacht with 23 other excursion passengers, and 4 sailing days constituted the trip. A highlight, besides golf, was the salsa in Matzalan--the best ever. That was at the Robert Trent Jones course. There were three groups of us and we finished over 1 hour ahead of the others, so we had plenty of salsa time in the clubhouse restaurant.

The food on the ship was really outstanding, too. Entertainment was very good and performed at a decent hour for early to bed, early to rise folks like us.

If you've never cruised, do it. Just check it out closely before you do. For example, we had left over pesos from earlier Mexican journeys. My wife was puzzled when she said, "I think we have $1,700 in pesos. How could we? We never spent that kind of money?"

And she was absolutely right. It had been devalued or redevalued in 1993, making our pesos worth $1.75. So check closely. That wouldn't even have paid for our salsa.

SINCE 1907

That's right. That's when The Raccoon Lodge was formed. The Honeymooners tv show of the'50's gave it the most publicity when Ralph and Ed would attend meeting and functions.

"Fingers to fingers

Thumb to thumb

Watch out stomach

Here it comes."

That was their official little ditty when hoisting a beverage. Whether a theme song, a jingle, a logo, a secret handshake, or a password, club members like to have an exclusive motto or catch phrase that's uniquely their own.

The last club I belonged to was Starfire Golf Club. For that privilege I received one of those metal bag tags with Starfire Member emblazoned on it. It clinks and makes noise when I lift my clubs. Of course, it's not the only course represented on my bag.

There's one from the TPC, Estrella Golf Club, White Witch, Eagle Mountain, Troon North, et. al. With a few paper ones tied on with a string grommet from ASU's course and TPC Champions Course. Status symbols? I suppose.

All the cheap courses I play mostly in the Winter don't even offer the paper ones. Otherwise, I'd display them, too.

Once we were paired with a couple who recognized my home course tag, Green Hills. They were from a small town twenty miles away. We played golf several times over the years with them. Maybe conversation would have revealed our proximity and even shared friends from back in SoIl, but the bag tag at least initiated the talk.

If I were a proud Raccoon, I'd display that, too. I guess I just want to belong. To be a member of the club. Even The Dawg Pound.

ICE HOCKEY

Yep, it's almost time for hockey season to start up. And I'm ready.

Long time reader(s) know my strong feelings about the sport. How I have to change batteries in my remote. To pass right on through all the NHL games avoiding them at all cost.

I don't mean not to like hockey. I just don't. Incredible athletes who perform great athletic moves at full speed on ice. What's not to like? I don't know. I just don't like it.

Some of my friends are huge fans. I'm even friends with a former owner of an NHL team and a Hall of Fame coach. Not that the coach and I are close friends, but I believe he's still a coach in the league--Scottie Bowman. And he has tried to get me excited about the sport he loves. It's just not there for me.

But they have one of the coolest traditions. When a player scores three goals in one game, it's the hat trick. All kinds of hats get thrown out onto the ice. One more. But I can't remember when it's done. Maybe playoffs. They throw a live octopus onto the ice.

If they did that more often. And maybe threw them at a player who had messed up, then maybe I'd like it more. Naugh. Just kidding. Even that wouldn't do it for me.

SOMEWHERE, OH SOMEWHERE QUEEN IS PLAYING

Because THE FLYING CHAUCERS are champions of the MVRL Rotisserie Baseball League for the 2009 season!!!

Although I am a co-owner with a former student of mine and Chicago Cub fan, I take great pride in our collective achievement.

It is a ferociously competitive league with big time baseball fans who devote hours and hours to the task of winning. Most are in at least one more fantasy or rotisserie league besides ours. Brent, my co-owner, and I only play with the MVRL big boys. And victory is sweet.

The last team to qualify for the playoffs, we literally just sneaked in there ahead of the Horned Puffins who led the league until a full collapse. Since the All-Star break we were the hottest team. Although none of the other playoff teams in a one-month battle wanted to play us, they kept to themselves about our strength.

Then last week, we finally cooled off. It looked as if we had no chance for the title until Tuesday. Then we returned to our glory and capped off the final week, eeking out a 6-4 victory over the Bridesmaids. Actually the Red Barons, but they have finished second so many times (3 I think) that they may want to consider a name change.

So the title hinged on the last game of the day. The Cubs vs the DBacks and the unknown save specialist ( I think he had 3 total) Gutierrez of the AZ club, nails down the save for us. Had he blown it, we would have lost since The Barons owned the tie breaker. Bottom line--the Az guy did it and so did we.

In an unbelievable comeback!! The Flying Chaucers are champs. I think there's a Diet Orange Crush in the fridge with my name on. I'll have it as I watch The Amazing Race on tv tonight. Oh, how perfect after our Amazing Race in the MVRL in 2009.

PUMPKINS AND GOURDS

And all things orange make it Autumn to me. But if that pumpkin or punkin' as we used to say, doesn't have a good stem, then it's just not the right pumpkin. I'd sacrifice a smooth, unscathed rind or outer shell for just the right stem. Most need a curl of some kind, but if long enough, even a straight stem will do.

I've never figured out why some want the extra large ones. Not stems--I've moved on from them. But the $79 ones in the stores, which is by the way the worst place to buy them. I mean, c'mon. Go to a pumpkin patch or buy from the roadside or farmers' markets. Somewhat like a fresh cut Christmas tree, the pumpkin is an important investment.

But back to the big 'uns. Don't buy them. Just buy several different sizes and make a nice Fall display. Even if you decide to Jack O' Lantern him, you'll need a machete to do the carving. Plus, emptying him out will be a chore.

At our son's house where he normally places his pumpkins near an outside light and pole, some seeds buried into the ground and started growing attaching their vines to the pole. He may not have to buy any this season. Or they may have fallen to the lawnmower this past Summer. I'll have to check when I talk to him.

Fall, Autumn. Aaaahhh. It's a great time. Even in AZ where our 100 degree temperatures are a thing of the past. But we still can't purchase our pumpkins too early or they'll never make it to All Hallows. But my Jack O made of terra cotta, or clay pottery is smiling and ready for front yard display.